Collection James Hoban: Architect of the White House
James Hoban's life is a memorable Irish-American success story. In his boyhood he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright,...
An Artist Visits the White House Past
From its construction in 1792, until the 1902 renovation that shaped the modern identity and functions of the interior of the White House, the fourteen paintings of this series examine the history of a national icon. Through meticulous research and tireless attention to detail, numerous sources inspired the brush of Peter Waddell to create a vision of the White House as it was, and to gain an appreciation of the nineteenth-century house and the men and women who lived and worked within its walls. From President John Quincy Adams taking a dangerous swim to Theodore Roosevelt's son in the conservatory, view the White House past through these modern looks at the past.
"A Vision Takes Form"
The White House Under Construction
"A Bird that Whistles"
In Jefferson's Cabinet
"The Splendid Mrs. Madison"
In the Elliptical Saloon
"Tiber Creek: The Bathers"
John Quincy Adams Takes a Deadly Chance
"The Great Cheese"
Jacksonian Democracy Enjoys a Special Treat
"Visitors from the East"
President Buchanan Greets Visitors From Far Away
"The Visit"
A War Worker Calls for a Favor
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Collection President Truman's Renovation
During the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the White House underwent a renovation and expansion so extensive, it changed...
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Collection The President's Neighborhood
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...
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Collection Tudor Place
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Collection Italy in the White House
Long before the emergence of the United States and Italy as nations, close connections between our two peoples influenced political...
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Caroline Harrison's 1891 Music Room
The Green Room, positioned between the East Room and the Blue Room, is one of the principal parlors of the...
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The West Wing: 1900-1924
1902: A White House "restoration" was undertaken. Under Theodore Roosevelt, the 19th-century conservatories were razed, and a new "temporary" executive office...
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The Historic Decatur House
When Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., and his wife, Susan, moved to the new federal city in 1816, they purchased land on...
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Comfort in My Retirement
They have been four years of incessant labour and anxiety and of great responsibility. I am heartily rejoiced that my...
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A Special Space Lost and Found Images of Abraham Lincoln's White House Stables
The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., has often been referred to as “The Nation’s Attic” for its vast holdin...
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Days of Destruction: The United States Capitol
By nightfall on August 24, 1814, British forces had arrived on Capitol Hill and broken through the doors of the 14-year-old Capitol,...
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A Portrait of Spanish Conquistador Hernan Corte's
Late in James K. Polk’s presidency, his wife Sarah Childress Polk received an unusual gift that implicitly equated expansionism wi...
